138 



ADVANCED BEE CULTURE. 



under shelter; and this latter point is very important, especially in 

 the management of a series of out apiaries that are to be visited peri- 

 odically. Rain puts an end to bee-work in the open air, and three 

 or four days of rainy weather sadly demoralizes the plan of visiting 

 an apiary once a week, when there is an apiary for each day in the 

 week. In a house apiary the work can be continued regardless of 

 the rain. Of course, there would be the travelling to and fro in the 

 rain, but rubber coats and blankets overcome that difficulty. Shel- 

 ter from the hot sun is often a great comfort. In taking off honey 

 there is never any trouble from robber bees. Bees are more peace- 

 able, that is, less inclined to sting, when handled in a house. In 



'^m:^:- ^ ^ ^-^V. ^ #11 



General View of Mr. Ludington's House Apiaries. 



(Honey House in the Center — Shop in the Background ) 



short, the advantages, with one exception, are nearly all with the 

 house apiary, and this exception is the cost of the building. Form- 

 erly there was the objection that the removal of the surplus liber- 

 ated many bees inside the building, where they were a great annoy- 

 ance upon the windows and under foot. The introduction of the 

 bee-escape has removed this most serious objection. By means of 

 the escapes surplus can be removed with scarcely a bee entering the 

 building, and these few find their way out through the escapes with 

 which the doors and windows are provided at the top. 



Probably the only really serious objection to the house apiary, 

 aside from its cost, is the great likelihood of queens being lost while 

 on their wedding flight; that is, of their entering the wrong hive up- 

 on their return. The trouble arises from the great number, simi- 



